When Maison Estelle first opened its doors in 2021 within a historic Georgian townhouse on Grafton Street in Mayfair, it didn’t take long for the who’s who in London to flock to the impossibly chic and discreet private members’ club. Two years later, the Estelle Community welcomed its first guests to the equally exclusive Estelle Manor in Oxfordshire, before launching its Roman-inspired bathhouse the following year. It wasn’t surprising then, that this year has seen the opening of another new concept in London: Celeste.
The Notting Hill outpost—formerly celebrity hotspot Beach Blanket Babylon—will be the brand’s second members’ club in the city, and its arrival at the stylish multicultural west London district will see it join the league of other equally notable establishments in the upmarket neighbourhood like The Barbary, Gold and Dorian, and Daylesford.
Conceived as “a neighbourhood home” in London where guests can drop in at any time of the day and feel at ease, Celeste will include an all-day restaurant on the ground floor which is open to the wider public, making it the first time non-members can experience the hospitality that it’s come to be known for.
Expect a menu that celebrates Italian American cooking, with sharing plates that include crudos, pizzettes, pastas, and succulent meat straight from the grill. Breakfast is just as indulgent; choose from healthy and lighter options like Açai granola bowls to comfort food like Eggs Benedict on Rosti and French toast. Wine lovers might be a little too spoilt for choice here with the 1,000-bottle long wine list, spanning treasured older vintages to promising new producers.
The space was clearly designed for lingering and you’ll find yourself spending hours here, if not for the food then for its interiors. The fantastical wonderland sees a hand-painted mural that’s inspired by celestial themes, alongside marquetry walls that almost come to life with mythical creatures. The wraparound bar is the perfect place to watch the skilled bartenders at work (you might even pick up a few tricks yourself), while the courtyard hugs an 18th-century stone fireplace that’s made even cosier with velvet sofas, Persian rugs, and an abundance of foliage.
Upstairs is where the members-only exclusivity resume and those privileged enough to enter will find an atmospheric bar that’s inspired by Tokyo’s listening rooms, alongside a Japanese izakaya-inspired dining experience that’s intimate enough for long dates. The Apartment at the top of the townhouse is the perfect space for a private party or late-night soiree.
“With Celeste, we wanted to create somewhere that fits naturally into people’s lives – a place where you can stop by for a coffee, meet friends for lunch, open a bottle of wine that turns into dinner, or simply spend time together,” says Sharan Pasricha, Founder and CEO of Estelle Community.
“Guests might arrive separately, but by the end they’re likely sharing stories around the same table. That is really what Celeste is about – a place for people to relax, connect and enjoy being together.”
